{"id":1305063,"date":"2019-03-08T07:41:31","date_gmt":"2019-03-08T14:41:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vaildaily.com\/?p=450269"},"modified":"2019-03-08T07:41:31","modified_gmt":"2019-03-08T14:41:31","slug":"ruben-studdard-on-his-american-idol-run-upcoming-vilar-performance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/local-news\/ruben-studdard-on-his-american-idol-run-upcoming-vilar-performance\/","title":{"rendered":"Ruben Studdard on his \u2018American Idol\u2019 run, upcoming Vilar performance"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_450276\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-450276\" src=\"https:\/\/www.vaildaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Ruben-1-Pic-2-325x210.jpg\" alt width=\"325\" height=\"210\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.vaildaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Ruben-1-Pic-2-325x210.jpg 325w, https:\/\/www.vaildaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Ruben-1-Pic-2-150x97.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.vaildaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Ruben-1-Pic-2-768x495.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.vaildaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Ruben-1-Pic-2-1240x799.jpg 1240w, https:\/\/www.vaildaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Ruben-1-Pic-2-620x400.jpg 620w, https:\/\/www.vaildaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Ruben-1-Pic-2-600x387.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 325px) 100vw, 325px\"><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">\u201cAmerican Idol\u201d champ Ruben Studdard will perform at the Vilar Performing Arts Center on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Ruben Studdard is no stranger to paying tribute to other artists. Throughout his time on the second season of \u201cAmerican Idol,\u201d Studdard performed songs from the likes of the Four Tops, \u2018Nsync and the Bee Gees. Now, he\u2019s singing the songs of an R&amp;B legend Luther Vandross.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLuther is definitely one of the greatest vocalists of all time,\u201d Studdard said over the phone ahead of his performance at the Vilar Performing Arts Center on Tuesday. \u201cJust having the opportunity to listen to his music and understand what it takes to be professional and be at that level; he&#8217;s an inspiration to me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Studdard first came across Vandross when he was young, as his mother was \u201cone of the biggest Luther fans ever.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy house was full of music all the time,\u201d Studdard said. \u201cNeither of my parents were musicians, but they loved music and we have a huge record collection.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Studdard was born in Frankfurt, Germany, but was raised in Birmingham, Alabama, where he began singing at church \u2014 gospel singers, he said, are some of the biggest influences on his sound and his career. While studying voice studies at Alabama A&amp;M University, Studdard joined a music fraternity, which led to him performing with local jazz band Just a Few Cats.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s no wonder that he eventually made his way onto \u201cAmerican Idol.\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"single-mid-script\" class=\"p402_hide\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories For You<\/h2>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"video-container\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"about:blank\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-rocket-lazyload=\"fitvidscompatible\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/cXTjAJI-3LE?feature=oembed\">[embedded content]<\/iframe><noscript><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/cXTjAJI-3LE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\">[embedded content]<\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><\/noscript><\/div>\n<h2>Days on television<\/h2>\n<p>\u201cThe experience was wonderful,\u201d said Studdard of the television show. \u201cIt was a training ground for professionalism, and it was expected at all times. People in the top 10 and beyond were people that exemplified that.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>One such example of the professionalism required was being mindful of performing on television, rather than just in front of an audience.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTreating the camera like the audience,\u201d Studdard said, \u201c\u2026 was an art that took a lot of us a while.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In his 20s when he auditioned for the show, Studdard went through several rounds of auditions and weeks of waiting before finding out that he made it into the top 30 \u2014 a moment that Studdard notes as being one of the most exciting of the experience.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI remember being at the mall knowing that I had made it into the top 30, and watching the first group of people audition to make (it to the next round),\u201d Studdard said. \u201cI couldn&#8217;t wait to leave and perform the next week. I couldn\u2019t tell anyone that I was on the show.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Despite coming out on top and feeling elated at the beginning of the process, it wasn\u2019t always sunshine and rainbows. At one point well into the show, it was revealed that the R&amp;B crooner was in the bottom two, and risked elimination.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think I was almost kind of glad,\u201d Studdard said of the reveal. \u201cI hadn&#8217;t been home for so long, it was like \u2018alright s\u2013t, I guess it\u2019s time to go home.&#8217;\u201d<\/p>\n<p>At that point, Studdard had been performing for nearly six months on the show, which he referred to as having an \u201cintense\u201d atmosphere, leading to him not feeling anxious or worried about his elimination.<\/p>\n<p>Safe to say he\u2019s glad that he managed to stick it out. However, Studdard<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_450277\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-450277\" src=\"https:\/\/www.vaildaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/ruben-144-325x244.jpg\" alt width=\"325\" height=\"244\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.vaildaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/ruben-144-325x244.jpg 325w, https:\/\/www.vaildaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/ruben-144-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.vaildaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/ruben-144-620x465.jpg 620w, https:\/\/www.vaildaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/ruben-144-600x450.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.vaildaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/ruben-144.jpg 720w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 325px) 100vw, 325px\"><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ruben Studdard will perform the hits of one of his biggest musical influences, Luther Vandross.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>made a point of staying level headed, keeping any thoughts of winning out of his mind.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI never let myself think that (I could win) until I was in rehearsals for the finale,\u201d he said. \u201cI remember having a conversation with my brother early on and he said \u2018I really think you could win this.\u2019 I said, \u2018man, I\u2019m not even thinking about that right now.&#8217;\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Better yet, Studdard didn\u2019t even have his heart set on winning.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe only purpose was to have my voice heard, not to win,\u201d Studdard said. \u201cThen I got to the finale and it was like, \u2018I might be able to win.&#8217;\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In the finale with Studdard was Clay Aiken, the runner-up. The duo reunited in December for a show called \u201cRuben &amp; Clay&#8217;s First Annual Christmas Carol Family Fun Pageant Spectacular Reunion Show.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe and I have been friends for a long time,\u201d Studdard said. \u201c\u2026 (working together again) felt like it always does, like a reunion.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Not just a contest winner<\/h2>\n<p>After all of that, a turn on \u201cThe Biggest Loser,\u201d a Grammy Award nomination and a handful of film and television roles, Studdard is prepared to get back to his roots and honor Vandross, a legendary soul and R&amp;B artist known primarily for his work in the 1970s and \u201980s.<\/p>\n<div class=\"video-container\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"about:blank\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-rocket-lazyload=\"fitvidscompatible\" data-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/sygtJ2Hz6hA?feature=oembed\">[embedded content]<\/iframe><noscript><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/sygtJ2Hz6hA?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\">[embedded content]<\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><\/noscript><\/div>\n<p>The tour, called Ruben Sings Luther: An Evening of Luther Vandross starring Ruben Studdard, comes after Studdard\u2019s release of a Vandross tribute album.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI really appreciate the opportunity to go around the country performing his songs and sharing these nostalgic moments with people that remember his music,\u201d he said. \u201cPeople are receiving it really well. People just love Luther. It\u2019s like going out and doing a&nbsp;tribute to The Beatles.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Vandross, who passed away in 2005, won eight Grammy Awards and was nominated for 25 others, and possesses a catalog of songs miles long. However, Studdard carefully chose what songs to cover for the album and in his show.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI watched a lot of his concerts and paid attention to what the fans responded to the most,\u201d he said. His set will include his two favorite Vandross tunes: \u201cHere and Now\u201d and \u201cNever Too Much.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHis music is an&nbsp;example to all male singers period,\u201d Studdard said. \u201cIt\u2019s a guide to what is a great standard of excellence.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Studdard will perform at the Vilar Performing Arts Center in Beaver Creek on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $38 and can be purchased at <a href=\"http:\/\/www.vilarpac.org\" rel=\"nofollow\">http:\/\/www.vilarpac.org<\/a> or by calling&nbsp;970-845-8497.<\/p>\n<p><em>Arts &amp; Entertainment Editor Nate Day can be reached at <a href=\"mailto:nday@vaildaily.com\">nday@vaildaily.com<\/a> or 970-748-2932.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vaildaily.com\/entertainment\/ruben-studdard-on-his-american-idol-run-upcoming-vilar-performance\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">via:: Vail Daily<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cAmerican Idol\u201d champ Ruben Studdard will perform at the Vilar Performing Arts Center on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. Ruben Studdard is no stranger to paying tribute to other artists. Throughout his time on the second season of \u201cAmerican Idol,\u201d Studdard performed songs from the likes of the Four Tops, \u2018Nsync and the Bee Gees. Now, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[160],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-1305063","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-local-news"},"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-06-19 12:16:24","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"KSKE Ski Country","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1305063","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1305063"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1305063\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1305063"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1305063"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1305063"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}